Permutation lock



May 22, 1928.- 1,670,448

F. J. HANNA PERMUTATION LOCK Filed Feb. 10, 1926 s snee't-sneet- 5mentor Patented May .22, 1928.

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PEnMUTA'rIoN LOCK:

Application filed February 10, 1926. Serial No. 87,297.

My present invention relates to improvements in permutation locks of therotating tumbler type, electrically controlled an especially designedfor use with safe doors. An electrically controlled, audible, burglaralarm or annunciator, located at a police station or other suitableplace is also provided in connection with the lock and adapted to besounded as a warning when tampering with the lock occurs.

The door lock includes a slide bolt for the door, which bolt iselectrically controlled, but may be released by the use of a circuitcloser or push button in the electric control circuit, which circuitalso includes means for cutting out the circuit of the electricallyactuated burglar alarm, when the parts of the permutation lock are inproper electrical relation. A conductor bar is used in connection withone or more of the rotatlng tumblers and means are provided whereby thelocation of the conductor bar or bars may be changed for the purpose ofchanging the combination of the lock.

The invention consists in certain novel combinations and arrangements ofparts involving the structures for accomplishing the above and otherresults, as will hereinafter be morefully set forth and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings I have il lustrated one complete example ofthe physical embodiment of my invention wherein the parts are combinedand arranged in accord ance with the bestmode I have thus fardeprinciples of my invention.

Figure 1 1s a sectional view of the permutation lock showing the bolt insection, the

vised for the practical application of the.

ciiit, and accessories including the push but- Figures 5, 6 and 7 arerespectively perspective views of the first, driving, and last tumblers.i v

Figure 8 is a perspective view of one of the eontact or conductor ringscarried by the driven tumblers. I

Figure dis a detail perspective view of one of the conductor bars, twoof which aroused on the driven tumblers.

In order that the general arrangement and relation of parts may withfacility be understood reference should be had to. Figure l where astandard type of slide bolt is indicated at 1 for use on a door or otherpart to be secured. This bolt is normally locked or held by a pivotedlatch 2 which forms the arn'rature fora solenoid 8 and the latter iselectrically operated to release the latch and permit operation of theslide bolt 1. A suitable type of signal hell or burglar alarm isindicated at 4: and provided with wires 5 and 6, the former. to thecircuit opener for the burglar alarm, which opener operates when theproper electrical connections have been made in the bolt eontrolcircuit,and the latter wire 6 is connected with the wire 8 of the solenoidcircuit. The other wire 9 of the solenoid circuit extends to the lockcasing 10 and is connected to a terminal on one of the tumblers as willbe described. From the terminal 11 a wire 12 of the alarm circuit isextended to the circuit breaker 7, which it will be understood isnormally cl a d a sew w 3 omplem tary to the wire 9 extends to theinterior ofthe casing 10. The wires 9, and 13 form part of the controlcircuit which includes the tumblers and their accessories within thecasing 10 Bo h the ont o c it and the sol no circuit are normally open,but may be closed by the pressure on a push button 14; of the circuitmaker which includes a movable contact point 15 and the stationarycontact Poi 8- -Q the mo able contact Po the wire 16 leads to thebattery 17, and from the stationary contact point of the c rcuit makeror switch the wire 19 leads to the terminal 11.

The support 20, for the button id and the casing 10 may be. the door thas cked by the slide bolt 1, or these parts may be located at remote andseparated points with relation to the slide bolt.

The permutation lock is manually oper ated through the medium of itsspindle 21 journaled in the casing 10 and the knob 22 and is providedwith the usual dial 23 on the exterior of the support 20. Three tumblersindicated as 24:, 25 and 26 are employed, the driving tumbler orintermediate tumbler 25 being: keyed at 2.7 on the spindle and the twoouter tumblers 24: and 26 being supported loosely on the spindle. Thetumblers are fashioned as circular disks of uniform size and arrangedconcentrically on the spindle. They are made up of non-conductingmaterial as bakelite and are each provided with a serrated edge orperiphery. The serrated edge 28 of the driving or intermediate tumbleris adapted to co-act with a spring 29 secured to the inner face of awall of the casing with its free end frictionally engaging the tumblerto retain it in stationary position.

The outer tumblers 2i and 26 have on their serrated edges. respectively.spaced, concave, conductor plates 30 and 31 against which the springs orresilient brushes 29 and 2. respectively engage. These brushes orcontact blades 29 and 29" have the respective wires 13 and 9 of thecontrol circuit attached to them as seen in Figure 1.

By means ot a screw 32 provided for each of the spring blades 29, Q9 and29" the tension of the blades on the respective tuniblers may be variedas desired to take up wear or to increase the frictional contact betweenthe blades and the tumblers, and thus prevent slipping of the tumblers.

As best seen in Figure 6 the driving tumbler or intermediate tumbler 25has projecting from its opposite faces a pair of pins 33 and 34, shownas located at diametrically opposite points, but 'apable of beinglocated in ditl'erent relative positions in the complementary pin holes33' and 34 of the tumbler 25. Pins 3: and 34: are used as driving pinsfor co-action with the respective driving plates 35 and 36 securedagainst the inner faces of the two outer tumblers.

Thus by turning the knob 23 clockwise the driving tumbler and tumbler 26may be coupled together by contact between pin 34 and plate 36 forrevolving the tumbler 26 to proper position. Then by turning the knobanticlockwise the pin 33 is made to contact with the plate 35 of thetumbler 24 to couple the driving tumbler and the tumbler 24 in orderthat they may be revolved together to a point selected or indicated onthe dial 23.

On the outer face of each of the driven or outer tumblers a conductorring as 37 and 38 is secured. concentric with the spindle, and each ringis fashioned with a radially extending arm as 39, the rings and armsbeing countersunk with their faces flush with the faces of the tumblersin which they are seated.

Each of these arms 39 has a conductor pin 40 secured thereto and the pinpasses transversely through its tumbler to the inner face of the latter,where the pin is provided with an integral brush holder or cup 4]. Thetumbler 24 has a spring pressed brush 4'2 and the tumbler 26 has aspring pressed brush 43 carried in the holders and the brushes extendinwardly on radial lines toward the shaft or spindle.

At the opposite sides of the driving tumbler a pair of flanged rings itof non-conducting material are secured in annular grooves in the facesof the tumbler. and these rings as seen in Figure 4 project laterallyfrom the tumbler. In one ring an annular series of radially disposedpins or contact points 4-5 is carried and in the other ring acomplementary series of pins or contact pfilfits' 4-6 is carried. thefirst series for eoaction with the brush 4-2 and the second series forcoaction with the brush 43. It will be seen in Figure 4 that thelltll'lQOtl rings project under the brushes and the brushes andcomplementary series of contact points are located in the same plane orpath of travel. The flanged rings it are secured in position by means ofa pair of retaining rings l7, one secured at each side of the drivingtumbler.

The series of contact pins 45 is electrically connected with an interiorconductor ring 48 of the tumbler 25, and the series of contact pins 46is connected with a complementary conductor ring 49 in the tumbler, andthese two conductor rings are electrically connected as indicated at 50.

Each of the driven tumbler: 24, and 26, is provided with a changeableconductor link as 51, 5] having at their opposite ends pins 5:3 and 53.These links are adapted for detachable and changeable engagement withtwo concentric series of holes or sockets in the outer faces of thetumblers 24 and 26. Tumbler 24 has a series of holes 54: in theconductor ring 37 and a series of sockets near the serrated periphery ofthe tumbler; and tumbler 26 has a series of holes or sockets 54 in theconductor ring 38 and a. complementary concentric series of sockets 55'near the periphery of the tumbler. The pins 52 and 53 of the links areadapted to engage in, a pair of sockets 54, 55 and in a pair of sockets54: and 55. The pins of the links in sockets 55 and 55 frictionallyengage the concave conductor plates 30 and 31 of the tumblers. Theselinks are interchangeable and may be applied to the respective tumblersto connect inner and outer contact points on the respective tumblers forthe purpose of changing the combination of the permutation lock asdesired.

Thus when the driving tumbler has been mechanically coupled aspreviously described with its driven or outer tumblers, the drivingtumbler may be turned clockwise until Ind til

and ring 38.

the contact points and 46 are brought into electrical connection withthe brushes 42 and 43 of the tumblers 24 and 26, to partially completethe control circuit. The circuit is then closed by pressure on thebutton 14 for the purpose of releasing the slide bolt 1. The controlcircuit extends from the battery 17 through wire 16 to the circuitcloser or button 14 and thence through wire 19 to the terminal 11 andallows for the flow of electric currents through the permutation lock byway of the wire 13 and plate 29 and contact plate 30 to the link 51.From link 5l the current passes through ring 37 and its arm 39 to thebrush 42, thence through the armature pin 45 and conductor rings 48 and49 to the armature pin 46, brush 43, arm 39 From ring 38 the currentflows through link 51 to plate 31 and spring plate 29 and thence throughwire 9 to the solenoid 3. The solenoid is thus energized to release itsarmature or the latch 2 from the slide bolt 1 as indicated by dottedlines in Figure 1. The movement of the armature 2 also breaks theconnection of the normally closed circuit breaker 7 as indicated bydotted lines, to cut out the burglar alarm. When the bolt is released itmay be retracted by suitable means to permit opening of the door.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desireto secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The combination with a drivingtumbler and a pair of driven tumblers and separate coupling means forsaid driving tumbler and driven tumblers, of a pair of armature ringseach having a series of armature pins on the driving tumbler, a brush oneach driven tumbler for co-action with said pins and electricalconnections between the armature pins of said series, a terminal on eachdriven tumbler for the respective brushes, I

an annular series of contact plates on each driven tumbler andchangeable conductor links connecting a terminal and a contact plate oneach driven tumbler.

2. The combination with a spindle, a fixed tumbler and a loose tumblerthereon adapted for coupling with the fixed member, of an armaturemember-on the fixed tumbler and a brush carried by the loose tumbler, aterminal ring on the loose tumbler for said brush, a series of contactplates on the loose tumbler, and a changeable conductor for connectingsaid terminal and a selected contact plate.

3. The combination with an intermediate tumbler having on opposite sidesa ring with a series of armature pins and electrical connectionsbetweensaid pins, of a pair of tum blers each having a brush forco-action with a series of pins, a conductor ring connected with eachbrush and an annular series of holes in each ring, spaced contact plateson the peripheries of said pair of tumblers and an annular series ofholes adjacent said plates, and a changeable conductor bar havingend-pins to engage selected holes of the two series on each of said pairof tumblers.

4. In a permutation look, a spindle, a tumbler rigidly secured thertofor rotation therewith, a pair of tumblers rotatably mounted on saidspindle at opposite sides of said fixed tumbler, means for selectivelycoupling each of said rotatably mounted tumblers operatively with saidfixed tumbler, electro-conduetive means on each of said rotatabletumblers and adapted for selective disposition thereon, and means onsaid fixed tumbler for eftectingan electrical conductor bridge betweensaid electro-conductive means on the rotatable tumblers.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

, FRANK J. HANNA.

